STAFF at Playsteps Day Nursery are reassuring parents they will work to improve after Ofsted rated them inadequate.

The nursery, in Church Place, Swindon, cares for 137 children aged between three months and five, and has been open since 2006.

Inspector Jan Harvey said statutory requirements had not been met and children were not well enough supported.

“Staff are not assessing and monitoring children’s progress sufficiently across all areas of learning,” she said. “As a result, children do not all reach their potential.

“The caring and compassionate staff cater for the children’s care needs and try to put in targets to support learning. “However, without appropriate levels of support, opportunities to actively help all children reach their full potential are missed.

“Outcomes for children are inadequate. Poor deployment of staff prevents children from making secure emotional attachments. “Some children are left to wander, sometimes with little adult involvement.

“Children receive good support when it is time for them to move into the next age group room or as they prepare to move on to school. This helps children feel secure.

“The nursery was found to be in breach of a number of legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. “Staff cannot demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the learning and development requirements.”

But nursery manager Jo Morris says she is determined to turn things around.

“We are having a meeting on Thursday for anyone who wants to discuss the report,” she said. “We will be giving parents copies of our development plan to explain what we are working on.”

The nursery took issue with the initial report and the fact Ofsted published the final draft before sending them a copy.

“There were some factual inaccuracies which we had to take them up on,” said Jan. “The message we would give to all parents is although we are devastated we are determined to turn things around. “What really has come through is the care here is not in question, it is the education. “It is not a safeguarding issue.

“We are taking this as an opportunity to look at every aspect of the nursery for improvement.”